The Veterans Service Center at 91Ƶ held a meeting with Robert Turner, the newly appointed Head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Ukraine, who assumed the position in September 2025. He was accompanied by Larysa Popovska, Head of the IOM Lviv Office.
According to Tetiana Shapovalova, Head of the Veterans Service Center, the meeting was attended by veteran students of the university, as well as invited veterans who are not yet enrolled. Among the participants there were Ihor Helzhynskyi, Vice-Rector for Social Affairs and Infrastructure Management; Inna Nazarova and Yurii Kit, leading specialists in veteran and demobilized personnel support; and the Center’s partner representatives.
Mr. Turner wanted to speak directly with veterans to better understand their challenges and needs for support. The veterans had the opportunity to share their experiences of military service, discuss their reintegration into civilian life, and ask questions to IOM representatives. The discussion focused on the importance of education, veteran employment, pension provision for persons with disabilities, and the need to develop social initiatives to support military personnel returning to civilian life.
After the meeting, Mr. Robert Turner departed for Brussels to work on developing a new IOM support program. He brought to Brussels the ideas and insights discussed at Lviv Polytechnic. It is expected that within the framework of IOM’s activities, a UN-affiliated organization, financial support for such initiatives will be provided next year.
Photos: IOM Ukraine
